


for that one moment

by marginaliana



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-10 04:07:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19899571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marginaliana/pseuds/marginaliana
Summary: Whatever they could have been to each other in some other universe, this was who they were now, Captain and First Officer.





	for that one moment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saturni_stellis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saturni_stellis/gifts).



The worst of it wasn't seeing Will fall. The worst was before, always knowing that it would happen eventually, and the worst was afterwards, knowing that it had been right. Not just from Will's point of view, but also from his own.

Whatever they could have been to each other in some other universe, whatever Jean-Luc might imagine in private moments – this was who they were now, Captain and First Officer. He could not value anything else more than this, not without betraying himself. He tried not even to dream of it, but he wasn't strong enough for that.

And now he was here, hidden as best they could be in a bare hollow in the rock, branches as a screen above them, with Will's head against his shoulder and Will's blood on his hands. Blood from the wound he'd received while protecting his captain. 

"Captain," Will said. "Captain, are you—"

"Shh," said Jean-Luc. "We must be quiet." It was true, but an equal truth was that he could not bear to hear what Will might say. Perhaps he would say to leave him behind; perhaps he would say that he ought to get up and go in search of their pursuers. Perhaps he would offer himself as bait. 

Jean-Luc would do none of these, but if Will made such suggestions he would be obligated to find reasons to refuse. Reasons other than 'I will not leave you.'

Will closed his mouth, and a moment later he closed his eyes, turning his face into the hollow of Jean-Luc's neck. Jean-Luc hoped that he could not feel the increase in his heartbeat. He held fast to Will's side, keeping the cloth in place. Will breathed in, out. In, out. Jean-Luc found that his own breath had slowed to match. 

There was a rustle of brush in the distance, the sound of feet moving quietly but not quietly enough. Jean-Luc waited until it came closer, then held his breath. He could feel Will doing the same. The footsteps passed them, hesitated on the other side of the rock, then went on. Only when there was silence did Jean-Luc breathe out again. Will's chest shook as he followed. Jean-Luc reached up to stroke his hair, entirely without the conscious intent to do so. 

Will made a soft, pained noise. He curled in a little further and pressed his lips to Jean-Luc's throat. Not quite a kiss, but unmistakably something like. 

_Such bravery,_ Jean-Luc thought, even as his heart thundered. He pressed his own lips to the top of Will's head. For that one moment, they understood each other. 

The sound of a transporter beam broke the silence. Will sat up, sucking in a breath of pain. He put his own hand to his bloodied side so that Jean-Luc could take his away. Jean-Luc let him go.

"Captain," a voice called.

"Here."

The brush in front of them was pulled away, and then Beverly was there, taking in the situation and kneeling to examine Will's injury. She made a disapproving noise. "Really, the two of you are a menace," she said. "I ought to strap you both to a bed in the medbay." She cast a glance at Jean-Luc's bloody hands but he shook his head. "Well," she said. "At least you managed that much."

Will looked sideways at him. Jean-Luc gave him a nod. "Yes, well done, Number One," he said. "Well done."


End file.
